The days are growing longer and the sun is shining brighter. The spring time is one of my favorite seasons of the year. It brings out all the animals that…
Summer is almost upon us again. The sun is out, trees and flowers are starting to bloom and with that comes the insects. In Oklahoma, we have a large number of insects that are all over. One of the most common insects that exist here in Oklahoma are honeybees. Bees of all different kinds and…
The summer is right around the corner. And with the summer, comes new challenges and obstacles. The birds will be out, the bees will be buzzing, and the trees and flowers will start to bloom. With all of these things come the normal pests of the summer. One of the biggest pests that we have…
Spring and summer time is right around the corner. There are many things to do to prepare for this new season. Better weather and blooming flowers will hopefully be in our future very soon. As much as it’s been such a cold winter, these changes will be welcomed. But with summer months also comes wasps.…
Bees are a dreaded summertime foe. And yet these insects are so important to the ecosystem. They are one of the many pollinators that keep our plants and trees reproducing. Without them, plant life would die out, and we wouldn’t last much longer. So, in order to protect this important species,…
The world is an ever changing place. In many cases, we are the agent of that change. Some of those changes are good, but many are not. Wars, urbanizations, global warming and other factors are constantly altering our environment. For these reasons, we must take care to build our world in…
For hundreds of years we’ve been consuming honey. How do we know this? Archaeologists in Egypt have found pots of honey buried in tombs. The honey found was crystalized, but after being heated was completely edible. Honey is easily one of the longest lasting preserved foods that we have. How do…
Many organisms demonstrate extraordinary abilities to navigate our planet. Birds fly south for the winter, dolphins transverse the oceans, and bees forage for food up to 12 km from their hive. How do these insects and animals know where they’re at? How do they know where they’re going? How do they know how to get…
Many people fear bees and wasps with good reason. Stings are painful and often induce allergic reactions that can, in some rare cases, be very dangerous. The act of stinging is a measure used by insects to protect themselves and hunt for prey. Do bees and wasps die when they sting? Honey…
Bees and wasps are an important part of our ecosystem. These insects cross pollinate plants, flowers and trees. They also feed upon nuisance and destructive insects such as grubs and caterpillars. Even though they have many positive attributes, they can still be dangerous. But how do yellow jackets make their nests? …